Pascal Alard, PhD

University of Louisville, KY

2005 New Treatments

Components of bacteria and other infectious agents are thought to have immune-regulating properties.

Dr. Alard, in collaboration with other scientists in a group lab, investigated the effects of probiotics such as lactobaccilli on the lupus immune system, and found that injections of lactobacilli-treated dendritic cells kept lupus-prone mice disease-free for up to six months.

The hope, once lupus in the mouse is prevented or modulated in this way, is to then go on to apply the same approach to people with the disease.